ANT 101: Chap 7: Social Groups and Social Stratification

How does the term "ascribed status" apply to the concept of race? -A person's race is thought to be something that can change depending on entitlement. -A person's race has no impact on behavior or economic status. -A person's race is understood to be something that comes from birth and cannot change. -A person's race is based on qualities of a person gained through action or sometimes wealth.

A person's race is understood to be something that comes from birth and cannot change.

Indo-Guyanese men

According to a study that focused on interactions among men's friendship groups in rumshops in Guyana (guy-AH-nuh) (Map 7.2), Indo-Guyanese men who have known each other since childhood spend time every day at the rumshop, eating, drinking, and regaling each other with stories (Sidnell 2000). Through shared storytelling about village history and other aspects of local knowledge, men display their equality with each other. The pattern of storytelling, referred to as "turn-at-talk," in which efforts are made to include everyone as a storyteller in turn, also serves to maintain equality and solidarity. These friendship groups are tightly knit, and the members can call on one another for economic, political, and other kinds of support.

Street Gangs

An anthropologist who did research among nearly 40 street gangs in New York, Los Angeles, and Boston learned much about why individuals join gangs, providing insights that also contradict popular thinking (Jankowski 1991). One common perception is that young boys join gangs because they are from homes with no male authority figure with whom they identify. In the gangs studied, about half of the gang members were from intact nuclear households. Another common perception is that the gang replaces a missing feeling of family. This study showed that the same number of gang members reported having close family ties as those who did not. Why, then, did young men join an urban gang? The research revealed that many gang members had a particular personality type called a defiant individualist. The defiant individualist type has five characteristics: -Intense competitiveness -Mistrust of others -Self-reliance -Social isolation -A strong survival instinct

Why is the caste system particularly associated with Hinduism? -Hinduism emerged in Bangladesh, where the caste system originated. -Mahatma Gandhi endorsed the caste system in India through his Hindu beliefs and teachings. -According to Hinduism, it is against the law to discriminate against people on the basis of birth. -Ancient Hindu scriptures are the sources that define the major social categories in Indian society.

Ancient Hindu scriptures are the sources that define the major social categories in Indian society.

Structurist view

suggests that poverty, especially urban poverty, leads to the development of this kind of personality as a response to the prevailing economic obstacles and uncertainty. To explain the global spread of urban youth gangs, structurists point to widespread economic changes in urban employment opportunities.

What coincided with the first appearance of social stratification in human society? -the emergence of agriculture -the exploration of the New World -the onset of industrialism -the decline of matriarchal societies

the emergence of agriculture

According to German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, civil society encompasses social groups and institutions that exist between __________. -the individual and the state -the government and the law -the family and the state -the home and the workplace

the individual and the state

What are the two types of civil society institutions defined by social theorist Antonio Gramsci? -those that support social stratification and those that oppose it -those that support social groups and those that support civil society -those that support the state and those that oppose state power -those that support the people and those that support the government

those that support the state and those that oppose state power.

In the early 1800s, when French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville

visited the United States and characterized it as a "nation of joiners," he implied that people in some cultures are more likely to join groups than are people in other cultures.

A friendship is always __________. -economically motivated -voluntary -among social equals -kinship-based

voluntary

Peggy Sanday

who was inspired to study college fraternities after the gang rape of a woman student by several fraternity brothers at the campus where she teaches. Her book Fraternity Gang Rape: Sex, Brotherhood, and Privilege on Campus (1990) explores initiation rituals and how they are related to male bonding solidified by victimization and ridicule of women. Gang rape, or a "train," is a prevalent practice in some, not all, fraternities. Fraternity party invitations may hint at the possibility of a "train." Typically, the brothers seek out a "party girl"—a somewhat vulnerable young woman who may be especially needy of acceptance or especially high on alcohol or other substances (her drinks may have been "spiked"). They take her to one of the brothers' rooms, where she may or may not agree to have sex with one of the brothers, and she often passes out. Then a "train" of men have sex with her. Rarely prosecuted, the male participants reinforce their sense of privilege, power, and unity with one another through a group ritual involving abuse of a female outsider. -Cross-culturally, women do not tend to form androphobic ("man-hating" or otherwise anti-male) clubs, the logical parallel of gynophobic ("woman-hating" or otherwise anti-female) men's clubs. College sororities, for example, are not mirror images of college fraternities. Although some sororities' initiation rituals are psychologically brutal to the pledges, bonding among the members does not involve abusive behavior toward men.

Class and Status

- Class and status, however, do not always match. A rich person may have become wealthy in disreputable ways and never gain high status. Both status and class groups are secondary groups, because a person is unlikely to know every other member of the group, especially in large-scale societies. -The concept of class is central to the theories of Karl Marx. Situated within the context of Europe's Industrial Revolution and the growth of capitalism, Marx wrote that class differences, exploitation of the working class by the owners of capital, class consciousness among workers, and class conflict were forces of change that would eventually spell the downfall of capitalism

Ascribed and achieved position

- ascribed position, based on qualities of a person gained through birth, or an -achieved position, based on qualities of a person gained through action -Ascribed positions may be based on one's "race," ethnicity, gender, age, or physical ability. These factors are generally out of the control of the individual, although some flexibility exists for gender (through surgery and hormonal treatments) and for certain kinds of physical conditions

Carol Stack

-(1974) wrote a landmark book in the early 1970s showing how friendship networks promote economic survival among low-income, urban African Americans. She conducted fieldwork in "The Flats," the poorest section of a Black community in a large midwestern city. She found extensive networks of friends "supporting, reinforcing each other—devising schemes for self-help, strategies for survival in a community of severe economic deprivation" (1974:28). -People in the Flats, especially women, maintain a set of friends through exchange: "swapping" goods (food, clothing) needed by someone at a particular time, sharing "child keeping," and giving or lending food stamps and money. Such exchanges are part of a clearly understood pattern—gifts and favors go back and forth over time. Friends thus bound together are obligated to each another and can call on each other in time of need. In opposition to theories that suggest the breakdown of social relationships among the very poor, this research documents how poor people strategize and cope through social ties. -In the intervening decades since the time of Stack's research, many other studies have documented the positive aspects of friendship among people of all social classes. Friendship, however, has its downside, since no one can be friends with everyone. So some people can feel left out. Bullying, or behavior that belittles and often viciously excludes individuals, can be considered the harsh opposite of befriending someone. While many sociologists and psychologists have studied bullying, cultural anthropologists have done so far less.

Activist Groups: CO-MADRES

-CO-MADRES of El Salvador (see Map 12.4) is a women-led social movement in Latin America (Stephen 1995). CO-MADRES is a Spanish abbreviation for an organization called, in English, the Committee of Mothers and Relatives of Political Prisoners, Disappeared and Assassinated of El Salvador. It was founded in 1977 by a group of mothers protesting the atrocities committed by the U.S.-backed Salvadoran government and military against a coalition of progressive groups including many indigenous people. During the civil war that lasted from 1979 until 1992, a total of 80,000 people died and 7,000 more disappeared, or one in every 100 Salvadorans. -The initial CO-MADRES group comprised nine mothers. One year later, it had grown to nearly 30 members, including some men. During the 1980s, the growing organization gained support from other Latin American countries, as well as from Australia, the United States, Canada, and European countries. Unfortunately, the group's increased visibility also attracted repression from the Salvadoran government. Its office was bombed several times during the 1980s, 48 members of CO-MADRES have been detained, and five have been assassinated. Harassment and disappearances continued even after the signing of the Peace Accords in January 1992: "In February 1993, the son and the nephew of one of the founders of CO-MADRES were assassinated in Usulutan. This woman had already lived through the experience of her own detention, the detention and gang rape of her daughter, and the disappearance and assassination of other family members" (1995:814). -In the 1990s, CO-MADRES focused on holding the state accountable for human rights violations during the civil war, providing protection for political prisoners, seeking assurances of human rights protection in the future, working against domestic violence, educating women about political participation, and initiating economic projects for women. The work of CO-MADRES, throughout its history, has incorporated elements of both the "personal" and the "political," concerns of mothers and other family members for lost kin and for exposing and halting human rights abuses of the state and the military. One lesson from the CO-MADRES is that activist groups formed by women based on kinship and domestic concerns, but their impact can have important high-level effects.

Ellen Judd / Chinese Women's Movement

-Canadian anthropologist Ellen Judd (2002) conducted a study of the women's movement in China, within the constraints that the government imposes on anthropological fieldwork by foreigners. Under the Mao leadership, foreign anthropologists were not allowed to do research of any sort in China. The situation began to change in the 1980s when some field research, within strict limitations, became possible. -Judd developed a long-term relationship with China over several decades, having lived there as a student from 1974 to 1977, undertaking long-term fieldwork there in 1986, and returning almost every year since for research or some other activity, such as being involved in a development project for women or attending the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. According to Judd, "These various ways of being in China all allowed me some interaction with Chinese women and some knowledge of their lives" (2002:14). In her latest project to study the Chinese women's movement, she wanted to conduct research as a cultural anthropologist would normally do, through intensive participant observation over a long time. At the time of her research, Judd was not allowed to join the local women's organization or to speak privately with any of the women. Officials accompanied her on all household visits and interviews. She was allowed to attend meetings, however, and she had access to all the public information about the goals of the women's movement, which is called the Women's Federations. A policy goal of the Chinese government is to improve the quality of women's lives, and the Women's Federations were formed to address that goal. The government oversees the operation at all levels, from the national level to the township and village. The primary objective is to mobilize women, especially rural women, to participate in literacy training and market activities. -Judd's fieldwork, constrained as it was by government regulations, nevertheless yielded insights. She learned, through interviews with women members, about some women who have benefited from the programs, and she discovered how important education for women is in terms of their ability to enter into market activities. The book she wrote is largely descriptive, focusing on the "public face" of the Women's Federations in one locale. Such a descriptive account is the most that can emerge from research in China at this time. Given that the women's organizations are formed by and for the government, this example stretches the concept of civil society.

Clubs and Fraternities/Sororities

-Clubs and fraternities/sororities are social groups that define membership in terms of a sense of shared identity and objectives. They may comprise people of the same ethnic heritage, occupation or business, religion, or gender. Although many clubs appear to exist primarily to serve functions of sociability and psychological support, deeper analysis often shows that these groups have economic and political roles as well.

new social movements

-Social scientists use the term new social movements to refer to the many social activist groups that emerged in the late twentieth century around the world. These groups are often formed by oppressed minorities such as indigenous peoples, ethnic groups, women, and the poor. They are improving their lives through the strategic use of social capital as well as social media.

Status: position or standing in society

-Societies place people into categories—student, husband, child, retired person, political leader, or member of Phi Beta Kappa—referred to as a person's status -Each status has an accompanying role, which is expected behavior for someone of a particular status, and a "script" for how to behave, look, and talk. Some statuses have more prestige attached to them than others. Within societies that have marked status positions, different status groups are marked by a particular lifestyle, including the goods they own, their leisure activities, and their linguistic styles.

Matriarchy

-The logical opposite of patriarchy is -matriarchy, or female dominance in economic, political, social, and ideological domains. -Matriarchy is so rare in contemporary cultures that anthropologists are not certain that it even exists or has ever existed. Among the Iroquois at the time the European colonialists arrived, women controlled public finances, in the form of maize, and they determined whether or not war would be waged. They also chose the leaders, although the leaders were male. It is not clear whether the Iroquois were in fact matriarchal or might more accurately be considered gender egalitarian with a mixed and balanced gender system. A stronger case for a truly matriarchal society is found in the Minangkabau people of Malaysia and Indonesia (see Culturama in Chapter 6).

How did the beliefs of Franz Boas contrast with the prevailing belief about race at the time? -Boas linked race, class, and gender to argue that one's birth is one's destiny. -Boas believed that brain size causes behavioral differences. -Boas argued that race exists only among populations of low-income countries. -Boas believed that culture rather than biology explains human behavior.

Boas believed that culture rather than biology explains human behavior.

Cooperatives

Cooperatives are a form of economic group in which surpluses are shared among the members and decision making follows the democratic principle of each individual member having one vote (Estrin 1996). Agricultural and credit cooperatives are the most common forms of cooperatives worldwide, followed by consumer cooperatives. - But many women have joined cooperatives that offer them greater economic security. The cooperative buys cloth and thread in bulk and distributes them to the women. The women are paid almost the entire sale price for each mola, with only a small amount of the eventual sale prices being taken out for cooperative dues and administrative costs. Their earnings are steadier than what the fluctuating tourist season offers. -Other benefits from being a member of the cooperative include its use as a consumer's cooperative (buying rice and sugar in bulk for members), a source of mutual strength and support, and a place for women to develop greater leadership skills and to take advantage of opportunities for political participation in the wider society.

Why are foragers less likely to develop social groups beyond kin relationships compared with settled groups? -Foragers mistrust non-kin relationships. -Foragers have less continuous interaction with other people. -Foragers have greater social density than other groups. -Foragers do not have enough leisure time to develop social relationships.

Foragers have less continuous interaction with other people.

Ascribed Status: "Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Caste

Four major ascribed systems of social stratification are based on divisions of people into unequally ranked groups on the basis of, respectively, "race," ethnicity, gender (defined in Chapter 1), and caste, the last a ranked group determined by birth and often linked to a particular occupation and to South Asian cultures. -Like status and class groups, these four categories are secondary social groups, because no one can have a personal relationship with all other members of the entire group. Each system takes on local specificities, depending on the context. For example, "race" and ethnicity are interrelated and overlap with conceptions of culture in much of Latin America, although what they mean in terms of identity and status differs in different countries in the region (de la Cadena 2001).

Grameen Bank

In spite of the lack of indigenous social groups, Bangladesh has gained world renown since the later twentieth century for its success in forming local groups through an organization called the Grameen Bank, which offers microcredit (small loans) to poor people to help them start small businesses. Likewise, throughout the rest of South Asia, since the later twentieth century, the rise of numerous active social groups is remarkable, including those dedicated to preserving traditional environmental knowledge, promoting women and children's health and survival, advocating for lesbian and gay rights, and poverty alleviation. The explanation for the rise of many of these groups lies in the global trend of nongovernmental groups to agitate for change in government policies and programs and to address problems that governments have overlooked.

How does the term meritocratic individualism apply to people in capitalist societies? -It explains how people who are born poor stay poor. -It says that every individual can experience upward mobility. -It shows how class conflict will eventually lead to the end of capitalism. -It says that men have a better chance of economic success than women.

It says that every individual can experience upward mobility.

Which statement accurately characterizes the approach of the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation? -It uses science to address basic human concerns. -It advocates for an independent Mayan state. -It uses the remains in mass graves to advance forensic science. -It aims to remove the current government from power through international pressure.

It uses science to address basic human concerns.

Which of the following describes a secondary group? -People who identify with one another, but who may never meet or interact personally. -People who live together but are not related as kin. -People who are kin, but also part of a larger social group. -People who see each other on a regular basis.

People who identify with one another, but who may never meet or interact personally.

A group that consists of people who interact with each other and know each other personally is a/an __________ group. -secondary -primary -age set -caste

Primary

Race

Racial stratification is a relatively recent form of social inequality. It results from the unequal meeting of two formerly separate groups through colonization, slavery, and other large-group movements (Sanjek 1994). Europe's "age of discovery," beginning in the 1500s, ushered in a new era of global contact. -"RACE" Racial stratification is a relatively recent form of social inequality. It results from the unequal meeting of two formerly separate groups through colonization, slavery, and other large-group movements (Sanjek 1994). Europe's "age of discovery," beginning in the 1500s, ushered in a new era of global contact.

How do cooperatives function as a social group? -They attract members who are unemployed and who wish to achieve status. -They have a recognized leader and formalized rituals of initiation for new members. -Members feel they are part of a special group because of their interest in permanent body modifications. -Surpluses are shared among the members and each member has a vote in decision making.

Surpluses are shared among the members and each member has a vote in decision making.

Caste System

The caste system is a social stratification system linked with Hinduism and based on a person's birth into a particular group -The caste system is particularly associated with Hindu peoples because ancient Hindu scriptures are taken as the foundational sources - for defining the major social categories called varnas, a Sanskrit word meaning "color" (Figure 7.2). -The four varnas are the brahmans, priests; the kshatriyas, warriors; the vaishyas, merchants; and the shudras, laborers. -Currently, members of this category have adopted the term dalit (dah-lit), which means "oppressed" or "ground down." -jatis (jah-tees, or birth groups) -The term caste comes from the Portuguese word casta, meaning "breed" or "type." -Jati, an emic term, conveys the meaning that a Hindu is born into his or her group. Jatis are ascribed status groups. Just as the four varnas are ranked relative to each other, so are all the jatis within them. For example, the jati of Brahmans is divided into priestly and nonpriestly subgroups; the priestly Brahmans are separated into household priests, temple priests, and funeral priests; the household priests are broken down into two or more categories; and each of those are divided into subgroups based on lineage ties (Parry 1996:77). Within all these categories exist well-defined status hierarchies.

For men in Andalucia, Spain, how does an amigo contrast with an amigo de verdad? -The first is a friend from work, the other a friend from the neighborhood. -The first is a close friend one sees each week at church, the other a friend one sees at a bar after work. -The first is a casual friend, the other a friend with whom you share secrets. -The first is a friend who is kin, the other a friend who is not kin.

The first is a casual friend, the other a friend with whom you share secrets.

What was the reason the initial leadership of CO-MADRES was composed only of women? -It was a government-sponsored program intended only for women. -The government had killed or imprisoned many of their husbands and sons. -Its goal was to promote fair treatment for women in legal contexts. -It advocated for equal access to education for girls.

The government had killed or imprisoned many of their husbands and sons.

How does the women's movement in China contrast with the CO-MADRES of El Salvador? -The women's movement in China is composed entirely of women, whereas the CO-MADRES group was started by male and female activists. -The women's movement in China is supported by the government, whereas the CO-MADRES group is trying to change conditions in the government. -The women's movement in China is part of a larger government anthropological study, whereas the CO-MADRES group is not part of a study. -The women's movement in China focuses on holding the government accountable for human rights, whereas the CO-MADRES group is working with the government.

The women's movement in China is supported by the government, whereas the CO-MADRES group is trying to change conditions in the government.

How do structurists interpret the fact that some low-income youths join urban gangs? -They point to a connection between the desire to be successful and the inability to do so. -They believe that the youths do not want to become economically successful. -They see a connection between a lack of competitiveness and a desire to be part of a group. -They believe that the youths have particular behavior patterns that they are born with and cannot change.

They point to a connection between the desire to be successful and the inability to do so.

What did Karl Marx believe about class differences and class conflict? -They were imposed societal constructs that would disappear as capitalism progressed. -They are not as important as status in terms of social stratification. -They were necessary to the growth of industrial capitalism. -They were catalysts of change that would lead to the end of capitalism.

They were catalysts of change that would lead to the end of capitalism.

Fredy Peccerelli

a forensic anthropologist, risks his personal safety working for victims of political violence in Guatemala, his homeland. Peccerelli is founder and executive director of the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation (FAFG). FAFG is dedicated to the recovery and identification of the remains of thousands of indigenous Maya whom Guatemalan military forces "disappeared" or outright killed during the brutal civil war that raged from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s. -Peccerelli was born in Guatemala. His family immigrated to the United States when his father, a lawyer, was threatened by death squads. He grew up in New York City and attended Brooklyn College in the 1990s. But he felt a need to reconnect with his heritage and began to study anthropology as a vehicle that would allow him to serve his country.

Age Set

a group of people close in age who go through certain rituals, such as circumcision, at the same time

Primary

a group of people who interact with each other and know each other personally.

Which of the following is an example of an instance where class and status do not match up? -a person who inherits her wealth from her parents -a person who is born poor and struggles to become rich his whole life -a person who gains wealth in a disreputable way and never gains respect in his community -a person who becomes wealthy but gives all her money away

a person who gains wealth in a disreputable way and never gains respect in his community

Jimmy is from an impoverished family and joins a local gang of youths. What characteristic of his environment or personality, if it were observed in Jimmy, could have been used to predict his gang involvement before it occurred? -a strong survival instinct -being from a single father household -an inclination for violence from infancy -strong sense of responsibility to family

a strong survival instinct

What do social scientists mean by the term new social movements? -social stratification that is emerging as a result of globalization -activist groups based on kinship and domestic concerns -the control of governments in low-income countries by formerly oppressed minorities -activist groups that use social capital and social media to improve the lives of people they represent

activist groups that use social capital and social media to improve the lives of people they represent

Bojana meets Tobar, knows nothing about him other than that he is a Roma, and disrespects him. Her behavior is based on her understanding of Tobar's __________. -class -position in the caste system -ascribed status -achieved status

ascribed status

Why do men in Andalucia, Spain, have more "true friends" than women do? -because women do not trust other women as friends -because men have wider social networks -because women's work tends to take place outside of the home -because women tend to have kin relationships as opposed to friendships

because men have wider social networks

Which of the following illustrates the idea of social capital? -calling on your neighbors for help with a community yard sale -paying taxes to support your local school system -donating money for a community center where neighborhood association meetings are held -offering loans at high interest rates to friends and neighbors

calling on your neighbors for help with a community yard sale

Social Stratification

consists of hierarchical relationships among different groups, as though they were arranged in layers, or strata. -Stratified groups may be unequal on a variety of measures, including material resources, power, human welfare, education, and symbolic attributes. -People in groups in higher positions have privileges not experienced by those in lower echelon groups, and they are likely to be interested in maintaining their privileged positions. Social stratification appeared late in human history, most clearly with the emergence of agriculture. Now some form of social stratification is nearly universal.

Civil Society

consists of the social domain of diverse interest groups that function outside the government to organize economic, political, and other aspects of life. According to the German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, civil society encompasses social groups and institutions that exist between the individual and the state. The Italian social theorist Antonio Gramsci defined two types of civic institutions: those that support the state, such as the church and schools, and those that oppose state power, such as trade unions, social protest groups, and citizens' rights groups.

Diaspora Population

diaspora population, a dispersed group living outside their original homeland. Roma are scattered throughout Europe and the United States (see Culturama). Their status within mainstream society is always marginal in terms of economic, political, and social measures. -People of one ethnic group who move from one niche to another are at risk of exclusionary treatment by the local residents. Roma (often called Gypsies by outsiders, a term that Roma consider to be derogatory)

James Myers( 1992)

did research in California among people who feel that they are a special group because of their interest in permanent body modification, especially genital piercing, branding, and cutting. Fieldwork involved participant observation and interviews: Myers was involved in workshops organized for the San Francisco sadomasochist (SM) community; he attended the Fifth Annual Living in Leather Convention held in Portland, Oregon, in 1990; he spent time in tattoo and piercing studios; and he talked with students and others in his hometown who were involved in these forms of body modification. The study population included males and females, heterosexuals, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and SMers. The single largest group was SM homosexuals and bisexuals. The study population was mainly White, and most had either attended or graduated from college. -Myers witnessed many modification sessions at workshops: Those seeking modification go up on stage and have their chosen procedure done by a well-known expert. Whatever the procedure, the volunteers exhibit little pain—usually just a sharp intake of breath at the moment the needle passes through or the brand touches skin. After that critical moment, the audience breathes an audible sigh of relief. The volunteer stands up and adjusts his or her clothing, and members of the audience applaud. This public event is a kind of initiation ritual that binds the expert, the volunteer, and the group together. Pain is an important part of many rites of passage. In this case, the audience witnesses and validates the experience and becomes joined to the initiate through witnessing. -The study revealed that a prominent motivation for seeking permanent body modification was a desire to identify with a specific group of people. One participant commented that piercing makes him feel like a part of a special group and that he can identify with someone else who is pierced (1992:292).

Class is defined primarily in __________ terms. -economic -legal -social -political

economic

mestizaje (mes-tee-SAH-hay)

from the word mestizo, literally means "racial" mixture. -In Central and South America, it refers either to people who are cut off from their Indian roots or to literate and successful people who retain some indigenous cultural practices. One has to know the local system of categories and meanings attached to them to understand the dynamics of inequality that go with them.

Which term applies to gang rape in U.S. fraternities? -gynophobic -secondary group -countercultural -youth gang

gynophobic

China

has one of the most formalized systems for monitoring its many ethnic groups, and it has an official policy on ethnic minorities, meaning the non-Han groups (Wu 1990). The government lists 55 groups other than the Han majority, which constitutes about 92 percent of the total population. The other 8 percent of the population is made up of these 55 minority groups, about 67 million people. The non-Han minorities occupy about 60 percent of China's landmass and are mainly located in border or "frontier" areas in the west, south, and north such as Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia. Basic criteria for defining an ethnic group include language, territory, economy, and "psychological disposition." The Chinese government establishes strict definitions of group membership and group characteristics; it even sets standards for ethnic costumes and dances. The Chinese treatment of the Tibetan people is especially severe and can be considered ethnocide, or annihilation of the culture of an ethnic group by a dominant group. In 1951, China forcibly incorporated Tibet, and the Chinese government undertook measures to bring about the social and economic transformation of what was formerly a decentralized, Buddhist feudal regime. This transformation has caused increasing ethnic conflict between Tibetans and Han Chinese, including demonstrations by Tibetans and crackdowns from the Chinese.

Why would a government seek to build civil society? -in order to stop human rights violations -in order to support oppressed minorities -in order to further its own goals and agenda -in order to suppress activist activities

in order to further its own goals and agenda

Social Group

is a cluster of people beyond the household unit who are usually related on a basis other than kinship, although kinship relationships may exist between people in the group. -Two basic categories exist: -the primary group, consisting of people who interact with each other and know each other personally, -and the secondary group, consisting of people who identify with one another on some common ground but who may never meet with one another or interact with each other personally.

Using the method of __________, a 2014 study about post-apartheid South Africa showed new patterns of inequality within Black and White communities. -life histories -quantitative analysis -genealogies -verandah anthropology

life histories

What is the term for the concept that rewards go to those who deserve them? -ascribed position -meritocratic individualism -social stratification -capitalist entitlement

meritocratic individualism

Patriarchy

or male dominance in economic, political, social, and ideological domains, is common but not universal. It also varies in severity and results. In its most severe forms, women and girls are completely under the power of men and can be killed by men, with no societal response. - So-called honor killings, for example, of girls and women who defy rules of virginity or arranged marriage and are murdered by male kin, are examples of extreme patriarchy (Kurkiala 2003). Less violent, but also serious, is the effect of patriarchy on girls' education. In many countries, girls are not sent to school at all, or if they are, they attend for fewer years or attend schools of lower quality than their brothers.

Youth Gang

refers to a group of young people, found mainly in urban areas, who are often considered a social problem by adults and law enforcement officials (Sanders 1994). -An example of an informal youth gang with no formal leadership hierarchy or initiation rituals is that of the "Masta Liu" in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific (Jourdan 1995) (Map 7.3). Unemployment is the primary unifying feature of the male youths who become Masta Liu. Most have migrated to the city from the countryside to escape what they consider an undesirable lifestyle there: working in the fields under control of their elders. Some Liu live with extended kin in the city; others organize Liu-only households. They spend their time wandering around town, referred to locally as going wakabaot, in groups of up to 10:

Social Class

refers to a person's or group's position in society and is defined primarily in economic terms.

Friendship

refers to close social ties between at least two people in which the ties are informal, voluntary, and involve personal, face-to-face interaction. -Generally, friendship involves people who are nonkin, but in some cases kin are also friends. (Recall the Tory Islanders discussed in Chapter 6.) Friendship fits into the category of a primary social group. -One question that cultural anthropologists ask is whether friendship is a cultural universal. Two factors make it difficult to answer this question. -First, friendship is an understudied topic in cultural anthropology, so insufficient cross-cultural research exists to answer the question definitively. -Second, defining friendship cross-culturally is problematic. It is likely, however, that something like "friendship" is a cultural universal but shaped in different degrees from culture to culture

Social capital

refers to the intangible resources that exist through social ties, trust, and cooperation. -Many local organizations around the world use social capital to provide basic social needs, and they are often successful even in the poorest countries.

Male friendships in Guyana are reinforced through __________. -storytelling -kinship relationships -cell phone lists -playing baseball

storytelling